


Happily Ever After?

by whatisthistho



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Child Abuse, Fluff, Lots of it, Not a lot of dialogue, Self-Harm, Shot-gunning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-13
Updated: 2014-01-13
Packaged: 2018-01-08 13:46:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1133353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatisthistho/pseuds/whatisthistho
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry and Zayn are adoptive brothers both adopted by the same parents. Their lives aren't what they think it should be. That is until they're adopted by the Paynes and everything seems to fall into place after.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happily Ever After?

**Author's Note:**

> First story, let me know what you think? I might make a second part with more details.

They weren’t sure when it all started. It seemed as if it was all they knew really. The belts, kitchen utensils, specifically the wooden spoon, it went as far as knives being thrown at them. At the age of 5, they had no idea what they were doing wrong. It was like if they just blinked they’d get punished.

 

Zayn was a month older than Harry, so it was only natural that Zayn tried to protect Harry as much as he could. He took the older brother role to heart and did everything he could to shield Harry from the blows being thrown at him. Harry was greatly appreciative of his brother, clinging to him and asking if he was okay after a particularly bad beating. He would attend to Zayn’s wounds to the best of a 5 year olds ability. Zayn would always read Harry a bedtime story to get him to sleep afterwards, so that he could lay in his own bed and cry himself to sleep.

\-- 

When they’re 8, Zayn becomes a little more than mouthy at his foster parents. He had grown to hate them after a while, something he tried so hard not to do because he remembered something one of his teachers said in class one time. “Be grateful for what you have, because not everyone is as lucky as you are to have the things you do.” Zayn tried, he really did. He didn’t want to hate the people he called his parents but it was inevitable after his foster father beat him so bad that he couldn’t move for days, and while he was getting that beating, he cried out for his mother but she just stood there with her arms crossed over her chest. Zayn decided that yeah, that was the day he started hating both of them. Now, if he was getting yelled at for absolutely no reason, he’d voice that and tell them he didn’t do anything, which obviously led to a worse punishment than he was going to get originally.

 

Harry on the other hand became more introverted. He’d stay in his room all day if he didn’t have school. He wouldn’t eat anything until late at night when he knew both his foster parents were sleeping. He’d sneak down the stairs quietly and get the food from the fridge. He was always too scared to heat it up, not wanting to wake his foster parents up. Harry also knew that Zayn never ate dinner, especially because their foster parents never cared to ask if they were hungry and neither of them would voice that they were. Harry would bring the cold food upstairs and share it between the two of them, Zayn mumbling a small _thanks_ in return.

 --

They’re 12 when a social worker visits their home unexpectedly. There was a small knock at the door. “Make yourself useful Zayn. Go get the door.” Their foster father mumbled. Zayn stood up and quietly walked to the door, Harry on his trail. Pulling the door open and bumping into Harry in the process, Zayn scowled at his little brother before turning to the person at the door. “Hi there. You must be Zayn and Harry. Is your parents home?” The women dressed in a pencil skirt and white button up asked. Zayn nodded mutely, moving aside for her to walk in. The women walked through the threshold and surveyed her surroundings. “Hm.” She said to herself. “Mr. and Mrs. Johnson?” She said tentatively. Mr. Johnson looked up and observed the woman before standing. “Yes? It’s just me, my wife is at work.” He said in a strangely sickening calm voice that had Zayn glaring at him. “I’m Mrs. Finn. I work with social services. If you’d give me a minute of your time, I’d like to ask you a few questions concerning Harry and Zayn.” She said in a steady, strong voice, her face passive. Panic flashed across his face, Zayn catching it just as quickly as it disappeared. Zayn and Harry sat down on the steps as they watched.

 

Harry looked up at Zayn, pushing his curls out of his eyes. “What’s a social service, Z?” He asked curiously. “Shh…” Zayn whispered, pulling Harry back a bit between his legs as he listened to the conversation going on in the living room.

 

Mr. Johnson cleared his throat and nodded. “Sure, have a seat. What’s this about?” He asked slowly. Mrs. Finn took a seat across from him and flipped through a few pages in her file before clearing her throat and lifting her gaze to him. “Alright. I’ve gotten quite a few concerning calls about the well being of these two boys. I’ve gotten calls about them being abused. Teachers have seen bruises on both their body’s.” She spoke slowly, making sure he heard everything she’d said. Mr. Johnsons face was passive, no signs of anything before a small smile graced his lips. “There must be a misunderstanding. They’re boys, of course they’ll have a few bruises here and there from roughhousing about. Boys, come down here for a second.” He said in a cheerful voice. Zayn and Harry looked at each other before standing up and walking into the living room.

 

Mrs. Finn graced them with a small encouraging smile as they approached. Mr. Johnson pulled both boys onto his lap and hugged them. “Boys, tell her. Your mum and I haven’t abused you, have we?” He asked innocently. Zayn and Harry looked at each other again, trying to converse through their eyes. Mrs. Finn cleared her throat, causing them to look at her. “Boys, tell me the truth alright? I promise, it’s going to be okay.” She assured. Harry looked down and bit his lower lip. Zayn just looked at the social worker, deciding weather or not he could trust her. Before he could open his mouth, he felt a piercing pain in his back but knew better than to flinch. His foster father had dug his nails into his back as a warning, he knew. He must have done the same thing to Harry because he felt him flinch beside him then mutter out a small ‘no’, tears breaching his eyes. Zayn clenched his jaw when he felt the pain in his back again but pushed away from him. “Stop! Stop hurting him!” He yelled, pulling Harry away from him and into his chest where Harry softly sobbed. The social worker stood up but before she could say anything Zayn was talking again. “You’re … you’re a monster! You do abuse us. You hit us for no reason at all. You don’t even feed us. You make us stay home from school when you hit us bad enough for it to be noticed!” Zayn yelled, tears springing to his own eyes without warning. He clutched Harry closer to him before turning to the social worker. “Please, help us.” He said, lips trembling. Their foster father was stunned quite, not knowing what to say now. “Don’t worry...” Mrs. Finn said, kneeling to their level, her eyes trained on Mr. Johnson. “Everything is going to be okay. I promise.”

 --

It takes a long time; Zayn had lost count of the months it took to get away from the Johnson household. But they were finally out, living with a better family. A family Harry and himself had taken to quickly. They’re Mr. and Mrs. Payne and they adopt the both of them when they’re 13. They now have another brother, Liam. Liam was all puppy eyed and shaggy haired. The first thing he said to Zayn and Harry was “Hi. I’m Liam and I’m your new big brother.” With the biggest smile on his face before engulfing the two of them in a bone crushing hug. Zayn felt like a small weight had been taken off his shoulders when Liam said he was their big brother. That meant Zayn had someone to take care of _him_ now and he was eternally grateful for that.

 --

Zayn was 14 when he picked up his first cigarette. His friends at school said it relieved stress, so he tried it. Some days he wishes he never picked it up. He thinks there should have at least been a warning stating that it would be hard to quit but most days, he craves the smoke in his lungs.

\-- 

Harry is 14 when he starts self harming. All the years of abuse from his last foster parents cause him to be really introverted. This made it difficult for people to become his friend. They all thought he was weird but they never once touched him, only because they knew Harry was Zayn and Liam’s youngest brother. Zayn and Liam were not messed with at school because they ran with Louis, a boy in the year above them. Harry self harms almost every night while in the shower. He watches the blood slip slowly from his wrists, his back pressed against the cool tiles. It’s a secret he intended to keep forever.

\-- 

When they’re 16, Liam introduces them to Niall and his two best friends who just moved back to England from New York. They use to live in England when they were born up until about the age of 12, when Zayn and Harry were adopted. Niall stayed with Noelle and Alayna where ever they went because his parents died when he was little and the Parker family quickly took him under their wing.

 

“Zayn, Harry. This is Noelle and Alayna. My best friends. And this is their I guess you can say brother, Niall.” Liam said with a smile. Zayn nodded slightly, mumbling a quick hello. Harry smiled, dimples showing. “Hi!” He said as enthusiastically as he could, hoping they didn’t see through him. Noelle studied him for a moment and even with just meeting him, she could see that his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. Alayna was doing the same thing, except she was studying Zayn, who wouldn’t make eye contact and seemed fidgety. Zayn kept thinking  _I need a cigarrette._

\--

Harry is 17 when he slips up big time. Noelle and Alayna were spending the night at their house, something that’d become a regular thing. Harry had just stepped out of the shower and was making his way towards his room as quickly as he could. Once in the safety of his room, he sighed, looking down at his wrists while turning around. “Oh, shit. Sorry Harry. It’s movie night and Zayn told me you had a bunch of movies to choose fr…” Noelle stopped mid sentence when her eyes drifted to his wrist. Her eyebrows scrunched in confusion while Harry stared at her wide-eyed, not knowing what to say. She took a few tentative steps towards him. “Harry…” She said slowly, her eyes finding his while her hand moves to his wrist, grasping it lightly. Harry stayed quiet, knowing he couldn’t hide what was blatantly there. He had gotten quite close to the girl in the past year, easily slotting herself into his life like she belonged there. Harry never questioned it because he felt like she belonged there as well. Noelle led him to the bed where he sat down beside her. She didn’t break eye contact with him until she raised his wrist to her lips, kissing the new angry red lines there; she kissed the scars above those as well as the ones above those. Harry’s eyes fell closed at the first contact of her lips to his skin.

 

He spent a lot of time trying to figure out how people would react if they found out. He knew Zayn would be mad at him and Liam would give him the puppy eyes. Niall would cling to him and tell him he should have came to him and talked to him. He knew Alayna would probably hit him upside the head and yell at him for being so stupid and then hug him but he never really figured out how Noelle would react. They spend loads of time together; in school, after school. Noelle had quickly become his rock and the person he confides in. He told her everything about his child hood, breaking down right in front of her without warning. She simply wrapped her arms around him and kissed each of his tears away until they subsided then whispered sweet nothings in his ear until he calmed down. He never told her about the self-harm though, because he knew that Alayna use to do it and Noelle told him she hated herself for not realizing sooner because Alayna had ended up in the hospital for accidentally cutting too deep. With that last thought in his head, he opened his eyes to see unreadable piercing brown eyes staring back at him.

 

Noelle traced his scars with her thumb absentmindedly before closing her eyes and shaking her head. “Idiot.” She whispered before pulling him in for a hug then stands up. Harry looked up at her with a lost expression. He expected yelling, maybe. Maybe even tears but nothing came. Noelle just walked to the door and opened it. “Put some clothes on, then come join us for movie night.” She said lowly then walked out the room, the door closing behind her. Harry sat there, not knowing what it was he felt in his heart at that very moment. It felt like Noelle just walked out of his life when in reality, she just walked out of the room. 

 

Noelle waited for Harry to join them, but he never came. Half way through the movie, she stood up and walked out of Liam’s room and down the hall to Harry’s. She debated knocking but decided against it. She opened the door slowly and slid inside. “Harry?” She whispered, squinting for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. When she got no response she walked further into the room, seeing Harry lying on the bed, looking up at the ceiling with one hand behind his head. She sat down on the edge of the bed and watched him for a moment before talking. “You never came.” She said softly. His eyes didn’t leave the ceiling as he spoke. “Didn’t feel like watching a movie.” He shrugged. Noelle nodded, biting down on her lower lip before crawling up the bed and lying down beside him. He didn’t move. But that was because his heart was beating at an unhealthy rate at the moment with Noelle so close. He couldn't pinpoint an exact moment where he can say he realized he was falling for her but he was and he had no idea what she felt for him, making the experience scarier.

 

“Harry.” Noelle said in a soft whiny voice, like she did when she wanted someone’s attention. Harry slowly turned his head to face her, seeing her pouting lips, causing him to subconsciously lick his own. “Hi.” Noelle said, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips while her eyes traced Harry’s tongue movement. “Hey.” Harry rasped back, moving the hand from behind his head to behind hers. She laid her head on his chest and cuddled close to him. Harry was suddenly hyper aware that Noelle could possibly feel how fast his heart was beating but before he could finish that thought, her small hand came up and rested on his chest, above his heart. He swallowed slowly as he looked down at her only to see her eyes closed and a faint smile on her lips. With that, he pulled her even closer and kisses the top of her head.

\-- 

Zayn had done a great job at hiding the fact that he smoked especially with Alayna. He didn’t know why he didn’t want her to know. Sometimes she would ask him because she’d smell it but he’d lie and say that he was with his friends and they were smoking. Even though she didn’t believe him, she’d nod and change the topic. Unlike Harry, Zayn knew exactly when he started falling for Alayna. It was about 6 months after they met. Zayn was sitting in class, doodling in the margins of his notebook when he looked up to Alayna walking into class. There were a few girls sitting in the front talking shit as usual. Zayn sent a small smile her way before looking down at his drawing again.

His eyes snapped up when he heard Alayna yell _Are you fucking mental?!_  For a second, Zayn was confused but then Alayna continued. “You’re pathetic. You’re low for talking about him that way. His life is none of your business. So fucking what if he’s adopted! Talking shit isn’t going to make you cool or whatever it is you get out of it. Zayn is perfect and just because he doesn’t give you the time of day doesn’t mean you turn around and talk shit about his past, something you know absolutely nothing about to begin with. Open your mouth again and I promise, you’ll regret it.” And with that, Alayna walked towards Zayn whose mouth was in the shape of an O. Usually, Zayn didn’t get shit for anything but there was those occasional days where people would talk. He gave her a small smile and mouthed _thank you_ in which she replied with a wink and he returned his gaze to his notebook with a smile, a smile that didn’t leave his face all day. Neither would the voice in his head saying  _He's perfect,_ which sounded suspiciously like Alayna's voice. 

\--

Zayn was leaning against the wall, cigarette hanging loosely from his lips. He wasn’t paying attention to anything and well, he didn’t expect anyone to come looking for him. He started when someone cleared his or her throat. He exhaled the smoke and turned to the side, seeing a very amused looking Alayna standing with her arms crossed. “Thought you didn’t smoke?” She asked walking closer to him. Zayn sputtered out an excuse before Alayna rolled her eyes and plucked it from his fingers and took a pull. Zayn’s eyes widened but before he could respond, she grabbed him by his jacket and pulled him forward, her lips lightly touching his as she exhaled the smoke into his mouth. Zayn instantly inhaled the smoke and exhaled it slowly, his lips not moving away from hers. Alayna smirked slightly before pulling back and looking at him. Zayn’s eyebrows scrunched up in confusion but before his brain could process what was going on, he places one hand on her chin and leans down, his lips brushing hers. His lower lip catches on hers before he presses their lips together firmly. Alayna hummed appreciatively as she returned the kiss softly. He pulled back and cupped her cheeks between his hands, kissing her forehead then wrapping his arms around her. “Don’t lie to me again.” She whispered. “Never again. I promise.” He whispered right back.

 


End file.
